P vivax malaria outbreak in Orang Asli village in Kuala Lipis - source

Nine Orang Asli suspected of having Plasmodium vivax malaria at Pos Lenjang, Kuala Lipis, have been hospitalised since yesterday.

A source told Malaysiakini that more than 10 Orang Asli villagers fell ill yesterday, with nine being warded.

"This is the most dangerous kind of malaria," said the source.

"The disease had been contained in the past, but the new outbreak shows that it has returned and is now affecting Orang Asli in Pos Lenjang."

In a statement today, Health Department director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed that 15 Orang Asli villagers have been affected by the malaria outbreak since July 11.

Read more: Malaria afflicting Kuala Lipis Orang Asli not life-threatening

They include four children, aged between four and 10, from Kampung Pagar and Kampung Serdang.

"All cases have been diagnosed as Plasmodium vivax malaria. They are all in stable condition," he said.

According to Noor Hisham (photo), the Pahang Health Department has responded by conducting indoor residual spraying and distributing mosquito net to villagers in affected areas.

He added that the Kuala Lipis Health Department is attempting to trace the source of the outbreak, as the last reported case of malaria occurred eight years ago.

In April, a 'mysterious illness' claimed the lives of 13 residents of the Bateq Tribe Orang Asli community in Kuala Koh, Kelantan.

Fifteen people reportedly died due to the illness.

The Health ministry had recently identified measles as the disease plaguing the community, but said that authorities are still investigating the matter.

NGO Centre for Orang Asli Concerns said the root of the problem was the destruction of the community's natural habitat.

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